Purple Tang vs Powder Blue Tang Difficulty Level?

Hey all,

The Purple and Powder Blue Tangs are two of my favorite fish. I just set up a 3g biocube and was hoping to see if I can get both and they would be ok together in that size tank?

Hehe, I'm kidding of course.

But yeah, I wanted to know, between a Purple and Powder Blue:

- which grows faster?
- which is hardier?
- which is a pickier eater?
- which is more skiddish if I am wearing a fake moustache?
- which is more aggresive?

I know that the answers to these questions are variable depending on lots of things, but straight up, which Tang would someone be more successful with say in a 100g+ well-kept tank?

I'd love to hear stories/advice of current/past owners of each fish and their experiences with them.

Thanks!

 

I have seen several PBTs - every one had ich - most died.

I have seen several purples - not near the Ich/mortality rate.

Tangs are somewhat predisposed to getting ich and PBTs are perhaps even more so susceptible.

But this is only from my limited experience - others will have their own input.

 

I love my pbt but I am not sure if I would get him again.

after 2 months in qt he still ended up with ich. We are fighting it now

purples are hardier from what I have seen.

 

cool, thanks M, appreciate your input. It def synchs up with much I've read on them both with the PBT having such a low survival rate. But they're so frickin' awesome looking, what a kicker

 

Got it, thanks, that's a shame you're fighting the ich now.

It can be confusing in this hobby as I have been very lucky with many difficult fish and had success where many haven't. It almost gives you this false sense that you can keep anything and it will be ok. I'm not going to attempt a PBT but I have always loved the fish and wanted to see how many have had trouble keeping one.

 

I hear and read the same thing about the powder blue. Only because it is one of my favs as well. I had a purple tang years ago,(like 15) and it lived in my tank for 7 years, before I had a total meltdown at home. had to get rid of everything. (long story)

but in all that time I had zero issues. It seemed hardier and happier than my yellow tang any day. it would eat anything i put in front of it.

I have the powder "Blues" cause I just don't want to risk it, and my tank actually isnt big enough. Which I think is why they tend to get a bad rap. peoples experiences with them are bad because they never had enough room in the first place, which in the end causes stress.


so go with the purple tang IMO

 

So far I am having decent luck I would say, I have had him 3 months and he is still alive.His color is amazing and he has a great personality, but if you go with them expect ich,

 

Good to know, appreciate the insight. I will most likely never have a large enough tank to support a PBT but I was just very interested why they are so tough to keep. MY LFS always tells me to not even look at them since they cannot even keep them alive & they know their stuff.

I used to have a Hippo and it never got ich/sick while I had it (luck or good keeping, who knows). Would you say the PBT is twice as susceptible? Sometimes it seems like the consensus is the PBT is the most suceptible to illness of all Tangs, maybe?

 

Well hopefully i can give some insight to your questions i have a powder blue, and a purple tang and an orange shoulder tang in my 125. also have two dominos.

my pbt and pruple started out bout the same size, i feed them aggresively 2x a day and have seen a considerable growth of both of them over an 8 month span. The powder blue grew a little bit faster than the purple but also the purple grows as a circle and the powder grows a lot more in length. so the powder blue looks larger. they are both ich magnets but if fed a good diet and use good water they will get it and heal over time, cleaner shrimps helps alot blood especially and skunks were good too. they both survived an upgrade so both are hardy. In terms of food they both love mysis, brine, pellets, meaty, and algae so they weren't finicky eaters from my view. My powder blue is more skiddish but also much more aggressive if that helps, but once you stay still he comes out and swims for you.

Heres a somewhat recent pic. hard to get clarity when theyre swimming fast but they sometimes swim in a school like this.

 

Awesome pic, very good info, much appreciated! I love how they're in formation, so cool. Now I want a bigger tank, thanks